Top celebrity retirement renegers

Ethan Miller , Getty Images10.15.2009

Garth Brooks
Occupation: Country music artist
Motivation to retire: Spend more time with family.
Motivation to return: Some guy at a gas station near his Oklahoma ranch told him to stop being a wus. That, and Trisha Yearwood needed a break.
Results of return: Brooks has announced plans for a 16 week run of shows at Wynn in Las Vegas. Results to be determined, but the business savvy musician isn’t the biggest-selling solo performer of all time for nothin’.
Previous attempts at retirement: He talked about retiring in 1992, 1995 and 1999. In 2000 he made it official, and released his final album the following year. He has done a small amount of recording and performing since then.
Best thing about his return: We can finally put Chris Gaines behind us.

Ethan Miller
/ Getty Images

Joaquin Phoenix
Occupation: Actor-cum-Hip Hop Artist
Motivation to retire: The crazy disease, which he may have caught from his appearance on David Letterman.
Motivation to return: His brother-in-law Casey Affleck is making a documentary about him, slated to be released in 2010. Also, he may need some money by then.
Results of return: We have no idea.
Previous attempts at retirement: Phoenix has always been adverse to his role as a celebrity. After succeeding as a child actor he withdraw from acting to travel to Mexico and South America. He was thrust back into the spotlight with the tragic death of his brother, River Phoenix, in 1993 and retreated again. A year later he reluctantly started acting again.
Best thing about his return: The pending haircut and shave.Getty Images
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Lance Armstrong
Occupation: Cyclist
Motivation to retire: Too many wins.
Motivation to return: Too many breakups.
Results of return: Third place in the 2009 Tour de France.
Previous attempts at retirement: Armstrong quit after winning a record seventh Tour de France, and after his high-profile breakup with singer Sheryl Crow. He said his comeback was to raise awareness about fighting cancer, but perhaps he’s on the prowl for more high-profile arm candy?
Best thing about his return: North Americans actually pay attention to something happening in France.Getty Images
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Jay-Z
Occupation: Hip-hop artist and businessman.
Motivation to retire: Making too much money.
Motivation to return: Forced to return to inject hope and talent back into the hip-hop community.
Results of return: Continues to add to his net worth of more than $150 million.
Previous attempts at retirement: Jay-Z held the coolest retirement party of all time at Madison Square Garden in 2003 with Missy Elliott, Mary J. Blige, Foxy Brown, R. Kelly and wife-to-be Beyonce. Although he stopped making studio albums in 2003, he returned in 2006 after running Def Jam Records for a few years. (Although his New Jersey Nets continue to suck, Jay-Z’s clothing and jewelry Rocawear does $800 million a year to cover for his losses.)
Best thing about his return: Kanye West will now be subject to many more Grammy losses.Getty Images
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Theoren Fleury
Occupation: Hockey star
Motivation to retire: May more accurately be called a suspension.
Motivation to return: Retire the jersey and get inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Results of return: The Stanley-Cup-winning Olympian has inspired 40-something beer league hockey players around the world with his showing during pre-season. In his new book, Playing With Fire, Fleury opens up about abuse he suffered as a young player and has earned the respect of millions of fans who don’t give a hoot about hockey.
Previous attempts at retirement: While out with teammates in January 2003 Fleury was involved in a drunken brawl at a strip club. Though he was not initially suspended, it was the beginning of the end. His career was over the following year.
Best thing about his return: Flames fever, baby.Getty Images
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Gwenyth Paltrow
Occupation: Actor
Motivation to retire: OK, so she didn’t retire. But she stepped out of the spotlight to make smaller movies and spend more time with her kids and rock star husband.
Motivation to return: Wanted to make movies “people actually see.” That, and she spent too much time with kids and rock star husband.
Results of return: Paltrow unleashed to the world super-sexy secretary Pepper Pott in Iron Man and Iron Man 2 (2010).
Previous attempts at retirement: Roles in View from the Top and Shallow Hal.
Best thing about her return: The Oscar-winning knockout isn’t taking herself too seriously, for once.Getty Images
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